Apparatus and method for uplink channel sounding in a wireless communication system

Abstract

An uplink channel sounding apparatus and method in a wireless communication system are provided, in which in an MS, a baseband MODEM generates as many channel sounding signals as the MS has antennas and outputs the channel sounding signals to an antenna switch. The antenna switch switches the channel sounding signals to the antennas in a one-to-one basis transmitting the channel sounding signals to a BS through all of the antennas of the MS.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A channel sounding apparatus for a Mobile Station (MS) in a wireless communication system, comprising:
 a baseband Modulator-Demodulator (MODEM) for generating as many channel sounding signals as the MS has antennas and outputting the channel sounding signals to an antenna switch; and 
 the antenna switch for switching the channel sounding signals to the antennas in a one-to-one basis and transmitting the channel sounding signals to a Base Station (BS) through all of the antennas of the MS, 
 wherein the antennas include a data transmit and receive antenna and a data receive antenna, 
 further comprising at least one antenna for transmitting a channel sounding signal received from the antenna switch to the BS in an allocated uplink period, 
 wherein the channel sounding signals are allocated to one of a plurality of symbols and a plurality of channels in an uplink frame, and 
 wherein the antenna switch transmits a channel sounding signal through an antenna in a first symbol, transmits a channel sounding signal through another antenna in a second symbol, and transmits channel sounding signals through remaining antennas in remaining symbols in the same manner. 
 
     
     
       2. The channel sounding apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a transmission-reception switch for each of the antennas, connected between the antenna switch and each antenna, for switching the channel sounding signal received from the antenna switch to each antenna and switching a data signal received from each antenna to the baseband MODEM. 
     
     
       3. The channel sounding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the baseband MODEM outputs a data signal to the antenna switch. 
     
     
       4. The channel sounding apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the antenna switch switches the data signal to the data transmit and receive antenna. 
     
     
       5. The channel sounding apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a transmission-reception switch for the data transmit and receive antenna, connected between the antenna switch and the data transmit and receive antenna, for switching one of a data signal and a channel sounding signal received from the antenna switch to the data transmit and receive antenna and switching a data signal received from the data transmit and receive antenna to the baseband MODEM; 
 a transmission-reception switch for the data receive antenna, connected between the antenna switch and the data receive antenna, for switching a channel sounding signal received from the antenna switch to the data receive antenna and switching a data signal received from the data receive antenna to the baseband MODEM; 
 the data transmit and receive antenna for transmitting one of the channel sounding signal and the data signal received from the transmission-reception switch for the data transmit and receive antenna to the BS in an allocated uplink period and outputting a data signal received from the BS to the transmission-reception switch for the data transmit and receive antenna; and 
 the data receive antenna for transmitting the channel sounding signal received from the transmission-reception switch for the data receive antenna to the BS in an allocated uplink period and outputting a data signal received from the BS to the transmission-reception switch for the data receive antenna. 
 
     
     
       6. The channel sounding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the channel sounding signals are allocated to one of a symbol and a channel in an uplink frame. 
     
     
       7. The channel sounding apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the antenna switch transmits a channel sounding signal through an antenna in one of the symbol and the channel of a frame, transmits a channel sounding signal through another antenna in one of the symbol and the channel of a next frame, and transmits channel sounding signals through remaining antennas in one of the symbols and channels of following frames in the same manner. 
     
     
       8. The channel sounding apparatus of claim l, wherein the channel sounding signals are allocated to a plurality of subcarriers in an uplink frame. 
     
     
       9. The channel sounding apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the antenna switch transmits a channel sounding signal through an antenna in part of the subcarriers, transmits a channel sounding signal through another antenna in another part of the subcarriers, and transmits channel sounding signals through remaining antennas in remaining parts of the subcarriers in the same manner. 
     
     
       10. A channel sounding method of a Mobile Station (MS) in a wireless communication system, comprising:
 generating as many channel sounding signals as the MS has physical antennas ; and 
 transmitting the channel sounding signals to a Base Station (BS) through all of the physical antennas of the MS, 
 wherein the physical antennas include a data transmit and receive antenna and a data receive antenna, 
 wherein the channel sounding signals are allocated to one of a symbol and a channel in an uplink frame, 
 wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the channel sounding signal through an antenna in one of the symbol and the channel of a frame, transmitting the channel sounding signal through another antenna in one of the symbol and the channel of a next frame, and transmitting channel sounding signals through remaining antennas in one of the symbols and channels of following frames in the same manner. 
 
     
     
       11. The channel sounding method of  claim 10 , wherein the channel sounding signals are allocated to one of a plurality of symbols and a plurality of channels in an uplink frame. 
     
     
       12. The channel sounding method of  claim 11 , wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting a channel sounding signal through an antenna in a first symbol, transmitting a channel sounding signal through another antenna in a second symbol, and transmitting channel sounding signals through remaining antennas in remaining symbols in the same manner. 
     
     
       13. The channel sounding method of  claim 10 , wherein the channel sounding signals are allocated to a plurality of subcarriers in an uplink frame. 
     
     
       14. The channel sounding method of  claim 13 , wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting a channel sounding signal through an antenna in part of the subcarriers, transmitting a channel sounding signal through another antenna in another part of the subcarriers, and transmitting channel sounding signals through remaining antennas in remaining parts of the subcarriers in the same manner. 
     
     
       15. A channel sounding apparatus for a Mobile Station (MS) in a wireless communication system, comprising:
 means for generating as many channel sounding signals as the MS has antennas; and 
 means for switching the generated channel sounding signals to the antennas in a one-to-one basis, 
 wherein the antennas include a data transmit and receive antenna and a data receive antenna, 
 wherein the channel sounding signals are allocated to one of a plurality of symbols and a plurality of channels in an uplink frame, 
 wherein the switching means transmits the channel sounding signal through an antenna in a first symbol, transmits a channel sounding signal through another antenna in a second symbol, and transmits channel sounding signals through remaining antennas in remaining symbols in the same manner.